Tayyaba Zafar

Dr Tayyaba Zafar

| Add a Photo

Born|  (1983-05-29) May 29, 1983 (age 41)
Citizenship| Pakistan
Alma mater|

* University of the Punjab (MSc 2005)
* University of Copenhagen (PhD 2011)

Known for| First Pakistani woman in Antarctica.[1][2][3]
Awards| 2020 NSW Tall Poppy[4]
Scientific career
Fields| Astronomy
Institutions|

* University of Copenhagen
* European Southern Observatory
* Australian Astronomical Observatory
* Macquarie University

Tayyaba Zafar (born 29 May 1983) is a Pakistani-born astronomer and science communicator. She is widely known to the public as the first woman from Pakistan who visited Antarctica[1][2][3] under the Homeward Bound Program[5]. She completed her PhD in astronomy from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 2011 and worked at the European Southern Observatory and Australian Astronomical Observatory. She researches how metals and dust form in distant galaxies and their effects are on star formation and other galaxy properties.

## Contents

* 1 Early life and education
* 2 Research career
* 3 Science communication
* 4 Awards
* 5 Selected publications
* 6 References
* 7 External links

## Early life and education[edit]

Zafar was born and grew up in Lahore, Pakistan. She did her MSc in physics at University of the Punjab, Pakistan. She scored the highest marks in MSc Physics Punjab province-wide and was hired as a lecturer by the University of the Punjab, Pakistan, where she served for one and a half years.

In 2007, she was selected for an international PhD position at the Dark Cosmology Center, University of Copenhagen. This started her astrophysics career working on interstellar medium studies of Gamma-ray bursts and Quasar and mostly conducted Extinction (astronomy) analyses. She was awarded her PhD in 2011, with a thesis entitled, “Spectroscopy of high redshift sightlines[6][7].

## Research career[edit]

After completing her PhD, Zafar accepted a postdoctoral position at the Marseille Observatory, France. In 2013, she moved to Germany to take up a fellowship at the European Southern Observatory (ESO)[8]. She later accepted a Research Astronomer role at the Australian Astronomical Observatory. She moved to Australia in November 2015[9] and served as instrument scientist for the 2dF+AAOmega spectrograph and supported the Anglo-Australian Telescope Telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory. In mid-2018, she was hired by Macquarie University where she is currently serving as a Senior-Lecturer.

Her research focuses on the obscured universe and its connection with the metals, Star formation, galaxy morphology, and other properties of galaxies. Her work emphasizes dust properties in the distant universe. As of June 2021, Astrophysics Data System Astrophysics Data System lists her 59 refereed publications, 6 conference proceedings[10], and publications of the SPIE|Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers[11][12] for upcoming instruments.

## Science communication[edit]

Dr Zafar became recognised as a public figure when she visited Antarctica in 2018 under the Homeward Bound project, a personal and professional development program to empower STEMM women leaders. She has given public talks such as for Sydney Science Festival[13], talks to amateur astronomical societies[14][15], schools, and universities and written scientific online articles[16][17]. She is a member of the 2021 CSIRO STEM Professionals in Schools, Australia program to team up with teachers to educate and inspire students. She has given multi-lingual TV interviews[18][19], including a one-to-one interview for SUCH TV|Such TV and breakfast show with Lahore News TV[20]. She has radio and print interviews including interviews for BBC World News|BBC World[21], ABC News (Australia)|ABC News[22], SBS (Australian TV channel)|SBS[23], and EFE Verde[24]. She has online articles on astronomy[25][26], instrumentation[27], and women in STEMM issues[28][29]. She has been invited as a panelist for women in STEM discussion panels e.g., Sydney Science Trail in 2020[30].

## Awards[edit]

2020 NSW Young Tall Poppy Science Award for scientific contributions and communications in Australia.[4]

## Selected publications[edit]

Zafar, T., D. Watson, J. P. U. Fynbo, D. Malesani, P. Jakobsson, and A. de Ugarte Postigo 2011. The extinction curves of star-forming regions from z = 0.1 to 6.7 using GRB afterglow spectroscopy. Astronomy and Astrophysics 532, A143. 2011A&A...532A.143Z[31]

Zafar, T., C. Péroux, A. Popping, B. Milliard, J.-M. Deharveng, and S. Frank 2013. The ESO UVES advanced data products quasar sample. II. Cosmological evolution of the neutral gas mass density. Astronomy and Astrophysics 556, A141. 2013A&A...556A.141Z[32]

Zafar, T. and D. Watson 2013. The metals-to-dust ratio to very low metallicities using GRB and QSO absorbers; extremely rapid dust formation. Astronomy and Astrophysics 560, A26. 2013A&A...560A..26Z[33]

## References[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 SeventhQueen (2020-03-20). "To the Stars and Back: An Interview with Dr Tayyaba Zafar". Spectra Magazine. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Dr Tayyaba, first Pakistani woman selected for Homeward Bound Program". Global Village Space. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Lahori stargazer who lands up in Antarctica". The Express Tribune. 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Dr Tayyaba Zafar". AIPS. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
5. ↑ "HB3 (2018-19) Participants - Homeward Bound". 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
6. ↑ Communication (2020-08-13). "Tayyaba Zafar". nbi.ku.dk. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
7. ↑ Copenhagen University, Niels Bohr Institute (2021-07-20). "PhD Thesis" (PDF). University of Copenhagen. Retrieved 2011-02-15. `{{cite web}}`: `|archive-date=` requires `|archive-url=` (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
8. ↑ Husemann, B.; Zafar, T. (2015-03-01). "Fellows at ESO". The Messenger. 159: 58–60. Bibcode:2015Msngr.159...58H. ISSN 0722-6691.
9. ↑ "Meet and Greet - Tayyaba Zafar" (PDF). AAO Observer. 129: 26. March 2016.
10. ↑ ORCID. "Tayyaba Zafar (0000-0003-3935-7018)". orcid.org. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
11. ↑ Pember, Jacob; Ellis, Simon; Zafar, Tayyaba (2020-12-13). Geyl, Roland; Navarro, Ramón (eds.). "Initial measurements of focal ratio degradation in ZBLAN fluoride fibers for K band spectroscopy". Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation IV. International Society for Optics and Photonics. 11451: 1145121. Bibcode:2020SPIE11451E..21P. doi:10.1117/12.2561967. ISBN 9781510636897.
12. ↑ Hartmann, Vitor N.; Pires, Priscila; Faes, D. M.; Ribeiro, Rafael; Oliveira, C. M.; Lacombe, Celestina; Zafar, Tayyaba; Lawrence, Jon; McGregor, Helen; Zheng, Jessica; Goodwin, Michael (2020-12-13). Angeli, George Z; Dierickx, Philippe (eds.). "Systems engineering applied to ELT instrumentation: MANIFEST pre-conceptual design case". Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy IX. International Society for Optics and Photonics. 11450: 1145015. Bibcode:2020SPIE11450E..15H. doi:10.1117/12.2576148. ISBN 9781510636873.
13. ↑ "Unlocking the Cosmos with Light". Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
14. ↑ "Cold Dust Forming Assemblies of Hot Stars and Galaxies with Dr Tayyaba Zafar". www.asnsw.com. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
15. ↑ "Guest Speaker - Dr Tayyaba Zafar (AAO) - SASI". www.sasi.net.au. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
16. ↑ "MAVIS: overpowering space telescopes from the ground | Spaceaustralia". spaceaustralia.com. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
17. ↑ Administration (2019-12-03). "Don't miss this heavenly performance of shooting stars". The Lighthouse. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
18. ↑ Pakistan ka parcham sarbuland karny wali mahir falkiyat Dr Tayyaba Zafar, retrieved 2021-06-11
19. ↑ Aaj Pakistan with Sidra Iqbal | 27 November 2019 | Aaj News, retrieved 2021-06-11
20. ↑ Jaago Lahore - Part 03 - Meet the First Pakistani Woman to reach Antarctica, retrieved 2021-06-11
21. ↑ "Quem são as (poucas) mulheres que batizaram crateras da Lua". BBC News Brasil (in português do Brasil). Retrieved 2021-06-11.
22. ↑ "Geminid meteor shower will light up our skies this coming weekend". www.abc.net.au. 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
23. ↑ "Reaching for the stars". SBS Your Language. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
24. ↑ "Drake Passage: turbulent test for 80 women scientists en route to Antarctica". www.efe.com. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
25. ↑ Administration (2019-12-03). "Don't miss this heavenly performance of shooting stars". The Lighthouse. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
26. ↑ "بلیک ہول تصویر کی اہمیت کیا ہے؟". SBS Your Language (in اردو). Retrieved 2021-06-11.
27. ↑ "Looking to the Southern Skies together with Europe | Spaceaustralia". spaceaustralia.com. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
28. ↑ "Distinguished stargazer asks women to study science". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
29. ↑ "Wild Women and stories from the scientific frontier". Northern Sydney Science Hub. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
30. ↑ "Women in STEM - Panel Discussion | DART Connections". dartconnections.org.au. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
31. ↑ Zafar, T.; Watson, D.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Malesani, D.; Jakobsson, P.; de Ugarte Postigo, A. (August 2011). "The extinction curves of star-forming regions from z = 0.1 to 6.7 using GRB afterglow spectroscopy". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 532: A143. arXiv:1102.1469. Bibcode:2011A&A...532A.143Z. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201116663. ISSN 0004-6361.
32. ↑ Zafar, T.; Péroux, C.; Popping, A.; Milliard, B.; Deharveng, J.-M.; Frank, S. (August 2013). "The ESO UVES advanced data products quasar sample. II. Cosmological evolution of the neutral gas mass density". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 556: A141. arXiv:1307.0602. Bibcode:2013A&A...556A.141Z. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201321154. ISSN 0004-6361.
33. ↑ Zafar, Tayyaba; Watson, Darach (December 2013). "The metals-to-dust ratio to very low metallicities using GRB and QSO absorbers; extremely rapid dust formation". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 560: A26. arXiv:1303.1141. Bibcode:2013A&A...560A..26Z. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201321413. ISSN 0004-6361.

## External links[edit]

Add External links

This article "Tayyaba Zafar" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.